Winding and unwinding mechanism



Oct. 13, 1931. .c. FIELD 1,826,758

I WI TNDING AND UNWINDING MECHANISM Criginal Filed June 18, 192'! :5Sheets-Sheet 1 Til.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Get. 13, 1931. c FlELD 1,826,758

WINDING AND UNWINDING MECHANISM Original Filed June 18, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 2' \NVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 C. FIELD Original Filed. June'18 WINDING AND UNWINDING MECHANISM W 9% QNN @N oNw MN @m IIPPIIIIIJIW.

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l NVENTOR cm Edd BY ATTORNEY entconstruction of reel is well PatentedOct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES CROSBY FIELD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK WINDINGAND UNWINDING MECHANISM Original application filed Jiune 18, 1927,Serial No. 199,692, and in Canada June 11, 1928. Divided and thisapplication filed August 3, 1928. Serial No. 297,316.

My present invention relates more particularly to reel adapted to thepurposes set forth in my copending application, Ser. No. 199,692, filedJune 18, 1927, of which this aplication is a division, and also in myPatents Nos. 1,608,478 and 1,608,481, dated November 23rd. 1926, andwhile many of its features are adapted for use in other relations, mostof them have advantages that are better understood in connection withthe requirements of machines such as set forth in my said application.These machines are for making metal wool from Wire, and a number oflarge cutting units are employed each consisting of a traction rotorhaving a plurality of adjacent grooves formed in its periphery, in whichthe wire is frictionally engaged so that it is carried by the rotor,operating as a bed, in operative relation to a series of stationarycutters arranged around'the periphery. The necessary fric 'tion to holdthe loops of wire as it were integral with the periphery of the rotor isinsured by end tension on the Wire. My presadapted to afford this endtension.

Preferably, a single wire is led in a succession ofloops curving in thesame direction, around a number of the cutter units, large enough toenable the wire to be cut to scrap. In such a machine, it is highlydesirable to have reels of capacity sufficientto accommodate greatlengths of wire. The ordinary bundle coils obtainable in the market areof limited length, weighing approximately 300 pounds, and in thisconnection the reel which I employ is one on which a number of coils ofthe usual weight may be wound, the end of the wire of one coil beingwelded to the end of the wire of the next succeeding coil, thusproducing a single coil which may weigh, say, 4,000 pounds and may bebetween 1 and 2 miles in length even when heavy wire is employed.

The above and other purposes are employed in a wheel constructionadapted to level wind the wire under heavy tension, the mechanism beingsuch that it may be quickly shifted from winding to unwinding. In theabove machine, the winding operation may be for the purpose of supplyingthe original welded lengths of wire to the reel or for Winding up thescrap at the end of the machine while the principal unwinding use is atthe supply end of the machine, but only the.

first winding and the machine supply positions are indicated herein.

The winding operation is in connection with means for testing andbreaking any bad spots in the wire before it passes tothe reel, themeans shown including a friction device which is adjustable so as toproduce an excess tension on the wire, such as is found by experience,the uncut wire should withstand in order to ensure against rupture inthe machine, after the wire has beenweakened by shaving. Thus, when thetesting strain comes on a bad portion of the wire and it breaks, thedefective portion can be cut out and the good ends rewelded in thetesting machine. The wire tension required will vary with the kind andsize of material that is to be wound. This testing machine is more fullydescribed and claimed in another divisional application, Ser. No. 297,320 filed August 3, 1928.

The wire is conducted to the winding reel through a stationarystraightener and for level winding it is necessary to have the windingreel feed back and forth axiall of its shaft at a rate dependent on thesize 0 the wire. The feeding mechanism may include two screws extendingparallel with the reel supporting shaft, which screws are supported bybrackets on said shaft to revolve about the latter. To rotate thescrews, there is provided planetary gearing operable by a fixed centralor sun gear supported on the axis of the reel shaft, said gearingincluding gears on the feed screws. Screw engaging means may besupported on the reel, which is shiftable from one screw to the other inorder to reverse the axial feed of the reel. The means for automaticallyeffecting the reversal of the feed of'said reel includes .a triggermechanism, which is operated at the end-of the feed of the reel, ineither direction, to shift the screw engaging mechanism from one screwto the other.

After the reel has become filled, it may be interchanged with the reelfrom which the wire is supplied to the machine. When the wire is unwoundinto the cutting machine, the transverse feeding mechanism may berendered ineffective and to this end I have provided means to facilitatedisconnection of the gears on the feed screws from the sun gear, thepinions in the planetary gearing being carried on a support which isadjustable so as to take one of said pinions'out of engagement with thegear of the feed screw. The pinions are also settable to reverse therotation of the feed screws.

The reel at the exit end of the machine for receiving the wire, whichhas been reduced to scrap, may be similar in construction to the windingreel and the supply reel. The strains to which these reels are subjectedare very great due to the weight of the wire handled thereby.Accordingly, the drum is constructed so as to withstand these strains.

The reel is also constructed so as to facilitate the removal of the coilof waste wire therefrom. To this end, one of the flanges of the reel isdetachably supported thereon and held in place by suitable bolts. Tofurther assist in holding the flange on the drum, and to reenforce thereel, there are provided cross bars or beams which may be-insertedthrough suitable slots formed in both flanges. They extend over a drumpart of the reel and engage both flanges; said beams being held incooperative relation therewith by suitable wedges which are forced inbetween the surface of the drum and the beams. The wire, instead ofbeing supported directly by the drum part of the reel, is supported bythe beams which are placed around the periphery of the drum. This leavesspace between the beams in which suitable binding wires may be placedbefore the waste wire is started on the reel. These binding wires extendover the flanges of the reel and their ends may be twisted around thewedges which hold the beams in place. When the reel is filled, the endsof the binding wires are untwisted from the wedges and folded over thereel to bind it together. The reel may then be removed with itssupporting shaft from the hearings, in any suitable manner, after whichthe wedges are withdrawn to enable the beams to be removed froln thereel. The detachable flange may then be removed,-and the reel is thenset up on end so as to cause the coil of wire to slide from the drum atthe end from which the flange has previously been removed. After thecoil of waste wire has been removed, the reel may be re-assembled.

The above and other features of my invention will be more evident fromthe following description in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Fig. 1 is an end view of the two reels, one in winding relationto the tension supply means and the other in unwinding relation to amachine to be supplied;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the righthand portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the reel; Fig. 4 is a detail sectionalview taken'on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a sectional top plan view of the reel, taken on the line 66 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the reel. taken on the line 77 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 8 shows another form of beam or bar used in the reel; and

Fig. 9 shows the manner of mounting the transmission pinions which drivethe feed screws of the reel.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a large coil of wire, 62, may be producedfrom smaller coils 63 successively placed on a drum 64, having a baseflange 64a and a core 646 mounted to rotate about a shaft 65 extendingupwardly from a support or block 66 on the floor 67. A detachable flange68 may be secured to the core 64?) by screws or bolts 69, to enable thecoil 63 to be placed on the reel. The wire 49 is conducted from the reel64 around rollers 70, 71 and 7 2, hereinafter described, through a wirestraightener 74, supported on a stationary block 75; said straightenerhaving vertically disposed rollers 76 and horizontally disposed rollers77 between which the. wire 49 passes. It is conducted from thestraightener 74 to the'winding reel 78, carried by a shaft 79. The shaft79 is rotatably supported in bearings 80 formed in walls 81 of a reelsupporting frame 81a, said walls being connected to each other bycross-bars 82 and 83. The reel 78 is rotated in a counter clockwisedirection in Fig. 1 to thus draw the wire 49 from the coil 63 and windit up.

To drive the shaft 79 and thus rotate the reel 78 in order to wind upthe wire 49, there may be provided an electric motor 84, (Fig. 2) havinga shaft 85 with a pinion 86 to drive a gear 87 which gear may rotatefreely on a suitably supported shaft 88; said shaft having a pinion 88ato drive a gear 89 secured to shaft 79. The gear 87 may be connectedwith the shaft 88 at will through the medium of a clutch 90, includinglevers 90a which may be separated by a cone 91 slidable on the shaft 88to operate the clutch; said cone being operable by a lever 92 having ahandle 93. By swinging the lever 92 upwardly in Fig. 2, the cone iswithdrawn from beneath the clutch levers 90, thus disconnecting the gear87 from the shaft 88 and thus stopping the rotation of the winding reel78.

When the end of a coil 63 of wire is reached. the rotation of thewinding reel 78 is stopped by a manipulation of the clutch controllinglever 92. The flange 68 of the reel 64 is then removed and a fresh coilplaced on the core 645. The end of wire from the fresh coil may then bewelded to the end of the wire of-the preceding reel by any suitablewelding device as 94a, 94?) after which the clutch controlling 5 lever92 is operated to connect the winding reel 78 with the motor.

For testing and breaking weak spots in the wire, as well as Winding thewire under proper tension, I provide a friction drag 94, against thepull of the reel 78. The drag includes two blocks that clamp the wireand the clamping effect may be adjusted as set forth in my copendingapplications referred to above. The

tension is adjusted so that any part ofthe wire that is defective enoughto break in the shaving machine will be broken in the tester. Thedefective part is then cut out and the good ends are welded. The tensionrequired for this purpose, is amply sufficient for tight winding of thewire on the reel 78.

To prevent undue wear of the friction drag 94 and scoring of'the wire bythe blocks, as well as to ensure smooth uniform winding tension. theremay be provided a lubricating device 101, which may include a cup 102supported on a fixed bracket 103. Extending from the lower part of thecup 102 is a felt pad 104 which engages the-wire to apply the lubricantthereto from the cup 102.

The uniformity of the tension on the wire while it is being wound on thereel 78 is further promoted by the tension indicating means whichinclude a roller 71, which is floatingly supported by blocks 105slidingly mounted on vertical rods 106. A stationary guide roller isalso supported on the rods 106 by means of blocks 107 which aresecuredto said rods by screws 108. Springs 109, coiled around the rods106, are interposed between the fixed blocks 107 and the sliding blocks105, to urge upwardly the blocks 105 with the roller supported thereby.The wire 49 passes from the friction device 94 to the roller 70, thenupwardly over and around the roller 71, and then downwardly to form aloop 110. The wire extends around the fixed axis roller 72 to the reel78, as previously described.

A The length of loop 110 varies according to the adjustment of thefriction device 94. Vhen the pressure of the friction device 94 isincreased, the tension of loop 110 is increased thus pulling the roller71 downwardly against increasing opposition of the springs 107 The reelstructure includes a hub portion .116 to slide on the shaft 79 (Fi s. 2to 7 inclusive) and two spoked ends 11 and 118,

i the end 117 being integral with the hub 116,

the end 118 being secured to the hub by screws 119. The reel furtherincludes a drum 120 which may be integral with the spoked end 118 andextends therefrom to the spoked end 117, where it is secured to thelatter by screws 121. End flanges 122 and 123 confine the coil of wireon the drum. The flange 122 may be integral with the drum 120. Theflange 123, however, may be detachably secured to the reel by bolts 124,so that the coil of wire may be readily removed from the reel in amanner hereinafter described.

The reel 78 is caused to rotate with the shaft 79 by means of a key 125extending along the shaft, which key may be secured thereto by screws at125 (Fig. 7). Provision is made to feed the drum axially on said shaft,first in one direction and then in the other as the wire is wound on thereel and advances from one flange to the other.

To feed the reel 78 axially on the shaft 79, while it is being rotatedto wind up the wire, screws 126 and 127 are provided,

said screws'being supported at one end in a bracket or cross bar 128 andat the other end by a. bracket or cross bar 129, said brackets beingsecured by keys 130 (Fig. 7) on reduced portions 131 of the shaft 79.The shaft lies in depressions 132 of the bearings 80 and is held inplace by bearing ca s133 secured I extend through bearings or guides 138and 139 (Figs. 5 and 7) secured respectively to the spoked ends 117 and118 of the reel; the screws being caused to rotate in the direction ofthe screws as indicated (Figs. 3 and 6) lwhen the wire is being wound onsaid ree I To effect rotation of the feed screws 126 and 127, there maybe provided planetary gearing including a central or sun gear 140, whichmay be integral with a bearing sleeve 141 for the left-hand end of theshaft 79 (Figs. 6 and 7), said bearing sleeve being held securely on theend plate'81 of the frame work by the cap 133. Each .feed screw isrotated by a pinion 142 meshing with the sun gear 140, the pinion 142meshing with an intermediate pinion 143 which drives a gear 144, therebeing two of these trains of gearing, one for each screw. The pinions142 and 143 rotate on studs 145 and 146, respectively, secured to thecross bar 128 which, it will be remembered, supports the screws 126 and127 at one end. Thus, as the shaft 79 rotates in a clockwise direction(Fig. 3) to wind the wire on the reel, the pinions 142 and 143 and thegear 144 are carried bodily around the'sun gear 140 and since the pinion142 meshes with said sun gear, it is caused to rotate and thus drive thegear 144 through the intermediate pinion 143, thus rotating the screw126 to feed the reel to the right in Fig. 6. Thus during the rotation ofthe shaft 79, both screws 126 and 127 :are rotated in the same directionthrough planetary gearing, said direction depending on the position ofthe screw engaging mechanism 136.

The screw engaging mechanism 136 includes a follower or half nut tocooperate with the screw 126 .and a follower or screw engagin element151 to cooperate with the screw 12 Said followers are supported on aslide 152 including bars 153 and 154 (Figs. '5 and 6), which bars aresuitably guided in slots 155 formed in the hub 116 of the reel 78. Theslide 152 may be shifted, in a manner hereinafter described,transversely of the hub 116 to disengage the screw 126 and to engage thescrew 127, to eifect the reversal of the feeding of the reel, when thewire being wound on the reel reaches the flange 122.

The reversal of the feed of the reel 78 which results from the shiftingof the screwengaging mechanism 136, is eiiected automaticall To this endthere is provided a trigger me: ianism 156 (Figs. 6 and 7), operated ina manner hereinafter described, which mechanism may include a plunger157' supported in brackets 158 of a slide 160 supported betweenguide-ways 159 and 161, which guide-- ways may be secured to the hub 116by screws 162.

The slide 160, which may be moved in the 'direction of the plunger 157,in the manner hereinafter described, may be connected with the bar 153of the screw engaging slide 152 by means of a bell crank 163 pivoted ona stud 164 secured to the hub 116, so that when the slide 160 is movedto the left in Fig. 6, the bell crank is swung about its pivot 164 tomove the screw engaging slide 152 out of engagement with the feed screw126 and into enga ement with the feed screw 127. When the slide is movedin the opposite direction, however, the screw engaging slide isdisconnected from the feed screw 127 and connected with the feed screw126.

To operate the plunger 157 of the trigger mechanism, it engages a stopor set screw 165 adjustably secured to the cross bar or bracket 129during the rightward feed of the reel in Fig. 6. After the plungerengages the stop, the reel continues to feed rightwardly,

.' thus causing 'a relative leftward movement of the plunger 157 againstthe action of thesprings 166 and 167; the spring 166 being held betweenthe bracket 158 and a flange sleeve 168 slidingly supported on theplunger- 157. and spring 167 being supported between the flange sleeve168 and a collar 169 secured to the plunger. These springs arecompressed when the plunger is operated and tend to force the slide 160leftwardly. Said slide is locked, however, by a lug 170 secured theretoand extending upwardly therefrom into engagement with a shoulder 171 ofa pawl 172 pivotally supported by a stud 173 on the fixed guide-way 159.The plunger 157 slides freely through the lug 170 and as it movesleftwardly, a finger 174 secured thereto, engages the free end of thepawl 172 to swing said pawl about its pivot 173, against the action of aspring pressed plunger 175 to disengage said pawl from the lug 17 0.Immediately following the release of the slide 160, it is movedleftwardly by the action of the springs 166 and 167, to thus actuate thebell crank 163 in a clockwise direction and thus shift the screwengaging slide or device 152 out of engagement with the feed screw 126and into engagement with the feed screw 127. After the shifting of thescrew engaging device 152, a pawl 176, similar to the pawl 172, is swungabout its pivot 177 by a spring pressed plunge-r 178 to cause a shoulder179 of said pawl to engage behind the lug 170 of the slide 160 an d thushold said slide against the rightward movement or, in other words,locking the screw engaging device 152 in engagement with the feed screw127. It will be understood that the pawl 17 2, when effective, holds theslide, 160 against leftward movement, to lock screw engaging device 152in engagement with the feed screw 126.

Thus, when the screw engaging device is in engagement with the feedscrew 127, it is fed leftwardly until the lefthand end of the plunger157 strikes an adjustable stop 180 secured to the cross bar or bracket128, to eiiect an actuation of the reversing mechanism, as thedrumapproaches its extreme lefthand position. When the plunger engagesthe stop 180, it is moved against the action of springs 181 and 182, thespring 181 being confined between bracket 158 secured to the slide 160,and a sleeve 184 carried by the plunger 157, the spring 182 beingconfined between said sleeve and a collar 185 secured to the plunger157. The springs 181 and 182 are similar to the springs 166 and 167 atthe opposite side of the plunger, and they tend to move the slide 160rightwardly in Fig. 6, said slide being locked, however,by the pawl 176.As the plunger advances in its right- 1 ward movement, a finger 186thereon swings the pawl 176, against the action of the spring pressedplunger178, out of engagement with the lug 17 0, thus releasing theslide 160. Subsequently, the action of the springs 181 and 182 actuatethe slide to move it rightwardly and thus actuate the bell crank 163 ina counterclockwise direction to thus move the screw engaging device 152out of engagement with the feed screw 127 and into engagement 1y,modified square threads may be used which are slightly tapered, eachthread being slightly narrower at the outside than at the base, so astoafi'ord easy entrance of the internal threads of the half nuts betweenthe threads of the screws. The half nuts 150 and 151 are each swinginglysupported by pivots 187 and 188 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) so that said elementsmay adjust themselves to the screws in effecting an engagementtherewith. The pivotal movement of said half nuts is comparativelyslight, however, and is limited by tails 189 extending from each into aslot 190 formed in the hub 116, and by vertical bars or straps 191secured to said hub. By inspection of Fig. 4, it will be noticed thatsaid tails 189 are slightly tapered and actuate the full width of theslot when in their ineffective positions, thus preventing shakingthereof. When moved to their effective positions, however, into contactwith the screw, the wide end of the tail' moves out of the slot and thenarrow end advances in the slot, thus permitting suflicient pivotalmovement of the screw engaging element or half nut to accommodate itselfto the feed screw. The straps 191 may be secured to the hub by screws192 (Fig. 5) and also assist in holding the bars 153 and 154, of thescrew engaging device or slide 152, in their slots or guideways.

To lubricate the reel supporting shaft 79 so as to prevent undue rubbingand consequent wear of the reel on said shaft, there may be provided alubricating or grease chamber 193 (Fig. 7) formed in the hub 116 of thereel; said chamber extending around the shaft 79. A grease cup 194,which may be filled in any ,well known manner, is provided with a screw195 to force the grease at will from said cup through a duct 196 intothe grease chamber 193.

After the reel 78 has been wound full of wire in the testing mechanism,it maybe removed from the bearing 80 and placed on a bearing 197 tosupply the wire thereon to the cutting units or shaving machine. It willbe understood that while the wire is being wound on the reel 7 8, it issupported on bearing 80 and the reel 50 is being unwound; the latter maybecome exhausted about the same time that the winding reel becomesfilled. Accordingly, the reels 50 and 78 may be interchanged in a singleoperation.

To facilitate the interchanging of the filled reel and the empty reel,the bearing cap 133 and a bearing cap 198 of the bearing 197 areremoved. A swinging beam 199 (Fig. 1) is then lowered by a hoist 200 onwhich the beam is carried by means of a hook 201. The

beam is provided with two yokes 202, including arms 203 provided witheyes or loops 204 at their lower ends. As the beam 199 is lowered, theyokes 202 straddle the reels 50 and 78 and the eyes 204 are brought intoalignment with apertures 205 formed in the spoked ends of the reels.Straight bars (not shown) may then be inserted through the eyes 204 andthrough the apertures 205 to thus connect the reels with the yokes 202,after which the reels may be elevated by means of the hoist 200, thebearing caps 133 and 198 havsupply of wire. It will be understood thatafter the reels have been interchanged, the

bearing caps 133 and 198 are again secured in position. The point ofapplication of the hoist 200 is located in a position on the beams 199so that the reels 50 and 78, when carried by said beam, balance eachother.

It will be understood that the planetary gearing, including the sun gear140, is carried by the shaft 79 and consequently it is interchanged withthe reel. When, however, the reel is placed on the bearing 197, the reelfeeding means is thrown out of action so that the reel may remain in afixed position lengthwise of the shaft 79. Suitable means, hereinafterdescribed, being provided to conduct the wire from the supply reel tothe first bed of the shaving machine.

To disconnect the reel feeding mechanism, the pinions 142 and 143 of theplanetary gearing which, it will. be remembered is eifective to rotatethe feed screws 126 and 127, are carried by a support or bar 206,adjustably mounted on the cross bar of bracket 128 (Figs. 3, 6 and 9) sothat the pinions 143 may be swung out of engagement with the gears 144of the feed screws 126 and 127, said pinions rotating idly when the wireis being unwound from the reel.

To shiftingly support the pinions 142 and 143, the studs 145, 146constitute the ends of bolts 207 and 208, respectively, said studshaving heads 209 and 210 upon which the pinions are rotatably supported.The bolts extend through the bar 206 and through slots 211 and 212formed in the cross bar 128,

said bolts being held in place by nuts 213 rying bar 206, each feedscrew 126 and 127 may be connected to rotate in the opposite direction.It will be seen by an inspection of Fig. 3, that the slot 212 isslightly elongated and after the nuts 213 and 214: have been loosened,the bolt 208 may be moved to the other end of the slot so as to carrythe pinion 142 into engagement with the gear 14 the pinion 143 being atthe same time disengaged from the gear 144, so that the gear 144 of thescrew is rotated directly by the pinion 142 instead of the pinion 143.It will be understood that the nuts 213 and 214 are again tightenedafter the setting of the pinions.

When the reel is used to supply wire to the shaving machine, an ordinarycylindrical drum is used and the mechanism is connect-ed with suitablebreaking means to assist in keeping the wire taut, in this case anelectric generator 216 connected to the reel supporting shaft 79. As thereel is rotated by the unwinding of the wire, the gear 89 on the shaft79 drives a pinion 217- secured to a shaft 218 supported in a bracket219, which bracket may be secured to the wall 81 of the reel supportingframe. The shaft 218 has secured thereto a gear 220 driving a pinion 221secured to the generator shaft 222. Thus it will be understood that thegenerator serves as a breaking means not only to keep the wire taut, butalso to assist in bringing the reel to a stop -when the shaving machineis sto ped.

hen a wire coil is to be removed bodily from the reel, as for instance,when the reel is used to wind up the waste wire at the exit end of themachine, the removal is facilitated by having the flange 123 (Fig. 6)detachably supported thereon and held in its assembled position by bolts124, having heads 223 engaging one side side of the reel and nuts 224engaging the flange 123 at the I other end of the reel. Beams or bars225 are arranged around the periphery of drum 120 of said reel. Eachbeam has projections 226 at its ends to engage the outside of theflanges 122 and 123 to thus prevent spreading thereof, and consequentlyassist in holding the flanges 123 on the reel. Said beams 225 arelocated in slots 227 formed in the flanges 122 and 123 (Fig. 3) whichslots are large enough to permit insertion or removal of saidbeamstherethrough. After the insertion of each beam through a slot, itis moved radially on the reel, and away from the reel axis, intoengaging relation with the flanges 122 and 123 to hold each beam in itsefiective holding position. Wedges 228 are provided which extend intogrooves 229 formed in the beams, said wedges engaging the bottom of saidgrooves and the periphery of the drum. With this arrangement, the wireis not carried directly by the drum 120, but is supported by the beams225, as indicated in Fig. 5, so that stresses produced by the weight ofthe wire are actually in the ends of the reel and not in the drum 225.\Vhen the reel is thus used for tension winding of scrap, the feedingmechanism,including the screws 126, 127, operates as previouslydescribed in connection with the testing mechanism.

To facilitate the removal of a coil of wire from the reel, binding wires230 may be stretched over the drum from side to side thereof and bentover the flanges 122 and 123 so that their ends may be twisted aroundthe protruding ends of the wedges 228. When the reel has become filled,the ends of the binding wires are untwisted from the wedges and arebrought together and twisted over the coil to thus bind the latter.After the coil has been thus bound, thereel, with its supporting shaft79, may be removed from its bearings. The wedges may then be removed,their ends being provided with heads 231 to be engaged by a suitablewedge re-- moving tool, not shown. After the wedges have been removed,each bar may be moved radially toward the axis of the drum, to enable itto be withdrawn through the slots 227. The flange 123 may then beremoved from the drum 120 by loosening the nuts 224:. T he reel is thenset up on end so as to cause the coil of wire to slide down from thedrum at the end from which the flange has previously been removed. Afterthe removal of the coil of waste wire, the reel maybe reassembled forfuture use. i

A modified form of beam 232 (Fig. 8) may be used instead of the beam225, and it may be providedwith slots 232a so that each of the flanges122 and 123 may be embraced by the bar or, in other words, engaged onboth sides, thus adding to the rigidity of the reel.

1 claim 1. In combination, a reel for wire, means to rotate said reel, ashaft to support said reel, a non-rotating pinion, two screws carriedbodily with said reel while it rotates, gearing to connect said screwswith said pinion to rotate said screws while they are moving bodily withthe rotation of the reel, and means on said reel to engage either screwto cause said reel to feed axially on its shaft in either direction.

2. In combination, a reel for wire, means to rotate said reel, a shaftto support said reel, a non-rotating pinion, two screws carried-bodilywith said reel while it rotates, gearing to connect said screws withsaid pinion to rotate said screws while they are moving bodily with therotation of the reel,-means on said reel to engage either screw to causesaid reel to feed axially on its shaft in either direction, and means toautomatically shift the screw engaging means from engagement with one ofsaid screws into engagement with the other screw.

3. In combination. a reel for wire, means to rotate said reel, a shaftto support said reel, a non-rotating pinion, two screws carried bodilywith said reel while it rotates, gearing to connect said screws withsaid pinion to rotate said screws while they are moving bodily with therotation of the reel, means on said reel to engage either screw to causesaid reel to feed axially on its shaft in either direction, triggermechanism operable automatically at the end of the travel of the reel ineach direction, and means connecting the trigger mechanism with thescrew engaging means to shift the latterfrom one screw to the other.

4. In combination, a reel for wire, a shaft to support said reel, twoscrews extending parallel with said shaft, two cross pieces secured tosaid shaft and at opposite sides of said reel, said cross piecessupporting the ends of said screws, a transverse element on said reel toengage either of said screws one at a time, means to rotate said reel,means to rotate said screws while the reel is rotating to effect theaxial feeding of the reel in either direction according to theposition'of the transverse element.

5. In combination, a reel for wire, a shaft to support said reel, twoscrews extending parallel with said shaft, two cross pieces secured tosaid shaft and at opposite sides of said reel, said cross pieces tosupport the end of said screws, a transverse screw engaging slide, anaxially disposed'slide, a bell crank by which axial slide may shift thetransverse slide from one screw to the other to effect a reversal ofaxial feed of the reel, and trigger mechanism including aplunger'carried by said reel to engage said cross pieces to actuate theaxial slide.

6. In combination, a reel for wire, a shaft upon which said reel ismounted to rotate therewith and to slide axially thereof, two screws tofeed the reel axially in opposite directions on said shaft, means onsaid shaft to support said screws, means to rotate said shaft, means torotate said screws, screw engaging means on said reel, and automaticmeans to disconnect the screw engaging means from one screw and connectit with the other screw when the reel reaches the end of its axialtravel in either direction.

7. The combination, a reel for wire, a rotatable shaft, means to causesaid reel to rotate with said shaft and to permit the reel to slideaxially thereon, two rotatable screws supported on said shaft, means onthe reel to engage either screw one at a time to feed the reel axiallyin opposite directions on said shaft, a pinion, means to secure saidpinion against rotation, a gear on each screw, and gearing connectingeach screw gear with the fixed pinion.

8. In combination, a reel for wire, a rotatable shaft, means to causesaid reel to rotate with said shaft and to permit the reel to slideaxially thereon, two rotatable screws supported on said shaft, means onthe reel to engage either screw one at a time to feed the reel axiallyin opposite directions on. said shaft, a pinion, means to secure'saidpinion against rotation, and lanetary gearing connecting the screws withthe fixed pinion to rotate said screws while the reel is rotating.

9. In combination, a reel for wire, a rotatable shaft, means to causesaid reel to rotate with said shaft, two rotatable screws supported onsaid shaft, means on the drum to engage either screw one at a timetofeed the reel axially in opposite directions on said shaft, a pinion,means to secure said'pinion against rotation, and planetary gearingconnecting each screw with the pinion to rotate the screw while the drumis rotating, and means to facilitate a disconnection'between the screwand the pinion.

10. In combination, a reel for a rotatable shaft, means to cause saidreel to rotate with said shaft and to permit the reel to slide axiallythereon, a rotatable screw supported on said shaft, a fixed pinion,means including planetary gearing connecting said screw with the pinionto rotate said screw while the reel is rotating, said planetary gearingincluding a pinion, and means to render the last named pinionineffective to enablethe rotation of the reel without feeding it.

11. In combination, a reel for wire, a rotatable shaft, means to causesaid reel to rotate with saidshaft, a pinion, means to secure saidpinion against rotation, means including planetary gearing connectedwith the pinion to feed the reel axially on the shaft while the reel isrotating, and means to facilitate a disconnection between the gearingand the pinion.

12. In combination, a reel for a rotatable shaft, means to cause saidreel to rotate with said shaft, rotatable screws supported on said shaftto feed the reel axially, a driving pinion, gearing connecting the screwwith the driving pinion to rotate the screw in one direction while thereel is being rotated, and means to shift the gearing to rotate thescrew in the opposite direction.

13. In combination, a reel for wire, a ro- 'tatable shaft, means tocause said reel to rotate with said shaft, a driving pinion, meansincluding gearing connected with the pinion to feed the reel axially inone direction, and

meeting each gear of the screws with the driving pinion to rotateeachscrew in one direction when the reel isbeing rotated, each sethaving two gears, a support for each set of intermediate gears, andmeans to facilitate an adjustment of each support to shift theintermediate gears to render one of the intermediate gears ineffectiveand connect the gear of the screw directly with driving pinion throughthe medium of the other intermediate gear to cause the screw to rotatein a reverse direction.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New Yorkthis 31st day of July, A. D. 1928.

GROSBY FIELD.

